An 11-year-old chess prodigy from northwest London has made history by becoming the youngest woman chess grandmaster. Bodhana Sivanandan achieved the milestone while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Speaking to the International Chess Federation, Bodhana, who still uses a booster seat during tournament play, expressed her desire to continue making history, noting that the game connects closely with various school subjects and aids her academic pursuits.
In South America, the Colombian government under President Abelardo de la Espriella has announced substantial budget cuts for the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization, alongside plans to block future funding. For more than two decades, the nation has worked alongside former guerrilla fighters to facilitate their return to civilian life. The new administration contends that members of armed groups should disarm and enter the traditional judicial system rather than receive specialized treatment. The agency has previously managed programs encompassing counseling, job training, and community reintegration support.
Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has begun repatriating thousands of individuals to Myanmar, drawing condemnation from human rights organizations. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim addressed the issue on a recent podcast episode, stating that the refugee population had become a burden. Rights advocates warn that returnees, particularly members of the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority who make up the majority of Malaysia’s refugee population, will encounter violence, persecution, and forced conscription upon return. The Malaysian administration’s shift toward repatriation coincides with domestic economic pressures and rising anti-migrant sentiment.
In Northern Europe, a new museum exhibition in Sweden explores the historical hardships faced by the indigenous Sami population. Titled “On the Ugly and the Beautiful” and hosted at the Kin Museum of Contemporary Art in Kiruna, the exhibition draws inspiration from the 1910 book “Muitalus sámiid birra (An Account of the Sami)” by Johan Turi. Widely regarded as the first book written by a Sami author in the indigenous language, Turi originally intended the work to illuminate the severe difficulties of Sami life in the early 20th century. The opening of the exhibition follows the recent publication of a report by the independent Truth Commission for the Sami People detailing historical abuses committed by the Swedish state.
